In ABC hit series, Private Practice, a young woman unable to have sex with her new husband, visits Dr. Addison Montgomery, played by Kate Walsh. During her gynecological exam, the woman screams in pain and is diagnosed with vulvodynia. With the help of Hollywood magic, Montgomery and her partner cure the condition and the elated couple's honeymoon begins.

"While the producers deserve credit for trying to depict the symptoms of vulvodynia, 13 million women in the real world would painfully disagree with the show's fairy tale ending," comments Phyllis Mate, President of the National Vulvodynia Association.

Advertisement

This isn't the first time popular television has inaccurately portrayed the condition. In a 2001 episode of HBO's Sex and the City, Kristin Davis' character, Charlotte, complains to her gynecologist of burning pain "down there" and is diagnosed with vulvodynia. The gynecologist prescribes an antidepressant and Charlotte is miraculously cured by the end of the episode!

In reality, vulvodynia, or chronic pain in the external vaginal area, is a highly prevalent condition that is difficult to treat. It is often misdiagnosed as a yeast infection and the cause(s) is unclear. Although there are treatments that provide some pain relief, there is no cure. In many cases, vulvodynia destroys marriages. Some sufferers are unable to maintain careers because they can't sit for more than 30 minutes, while others are bedridden with unrelenting pain.

To spread the word about this hidden condition, the NIH is launching the first National Vulvodynia Awareness Campaign at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on October 24, 2007. As part of this campaign, eight women of diverse backgrounds have courageously stepped forward to share their personal stories.

Christin Veasley, a young patient advocate describes the agony of living with vulvodynia. "Women are too embarrassed to reveal they have the condition, so they suffer alone. Feeling that you can't talk about it adds to the suffering," she says.

More and more people are finding themselves eating gluten-free whether they have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. However, many women don’t consider that they may be ingesting gluten through their skin because many makeup products contain gluten. Here are my top 5 favorite certified gluten-free makeup products that I use personally. All products mentioned in this list are certified gluten-free and each company maintains vigorous testing standards.

Women universally love lipstick for its flattering shades and its ability to enhance their natural beauty. Unfortunately, research shows that heavy metals and other chemicals lurk in many brands of popular lipstick. These toxins endanger the health of women everywhere.

Adrenal fatigue is a long, exhausting road. I’ve been walking it a long time, but it has taught me invaluable lessons about living my life. I’ve had to learn to listen to my body instead of telling my symptoms to go away. Here are 10 healing pieces of wisdom I want everyone recovering from adrenal fatigue to know.

At 24 years old, Lauren Wasser was living her dream as a model in Los Angeles when the unthinkable happened. She tragically lost a portion of her right leg to toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and now doctors tell her she will inevitably lose a second leg.

Doctor Vaagn Andikyan of Armenian decent, attributes the successful treatment and good prognosis to the delivery of high quality, compassionate care, and team-based collaboration by cancer care experts at the Danbury Hospital.